The Letter
by leftygal
Summary: Colonel Hogan receives a very pecular package from Germany six months after the war has ended. Where on earth did it come from? Please read, review and enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Hogan's Heroes or any of it's characters, and I'm definitely not making a profit on this! _

_Just a little something that popped into my head one night and I had to write it down. My first fanfic story. All comments are welcome! Please read, review and enjoy!_

Colonel Hogan stared at the very large brown paper wrapped package sitting on his kitchen table with apprehension. The return address read Hammelburg, Germany. What on earth was being sent to him from Germany? The war had been over for almost six months, and as he'd said to his men many times before, he'd walked out the front gates right with them by his side. He thought of them now – Carter, Le Beau, Kinch and Newkirk – they'd been with him right up until the very end. They'd gone their separate ways, then. It was a bitter sweet parting. They'd all been desperate for the war to end, but leaving each other after years in a prisoner of war camp had made them all closer than they'd ever realized. They tried to keep in touch, but they'd all needed to start their lives over again. He'd gone back to Bridgeport, and his family, wanting to forget the horrors he had seen, and yet remembering despite all of his efforts. As soon as he'd walked into the door, the phone had rang. Carter was on the line, wanting nothing but to visit with his colonel. Life was good for him in Bull Frog, North Dakota, and he'd made sure to call the whole crew as soon as he'd reached his phone. Hogan had called everyone too, making his phone bill suddenly shoot through the roof. Three months after he returned, he'd made the trip to Bull Frog, staying for a week with Carter and his family. On the way back, he'd made a detour to Detroit and saw Kinch, enjoying the hospitality of the Kinchloe household. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed his men until he'd seen the two. Carter was getting on well, enjoying his home and family. Kinch was much the same, loving life out of the military. Le Beau was happy in Paris, rebuilding his home and finding the scattered members of his family. Newkirk was living in his beloved London, sporting a few girls and looking into buying a pub of his own.

Hogan was in Connecticut trying to decide what to do with his life. He'd written to Le Beau, asking him if he knew anything about Marie, his Tiger, where she was, how she was, what she was doing. The Frenchman had heard nothing. It seemed as if she'd disappeared off the face of the earth. He'd seen her two weeks before Stalag 13 had been liberated by the Allies, but no one seemed to have heard from her since. He'd spent the last six months wondering and worrying about what to do. He loved her, and yet, he knew nothing of what had happened to her. He'd contacted everyone and anyone who might have seen her, but all to no avail. What was he supposed to do? Where would he look? She could be anywhere at all, how could he possibly find her when he didn't even know for sure that she was still in Europe? What would he find if he searched for her? There were just too many questions that he had no way of answering. His mind ran through the possibilities for her disappearance, but they always ended with the forbidden thought – she was dead. _No!_ He thought, she couldn't be. He sighed heavily. Until it could be proven, he refused to believe it.

He turned his attention to the very large brown paper package sitting on his kitchen table. With apprehension he reached out and cut the string holding the carefully wrapped paper to the box. He reached out and opened the flap. A letter appeared first, and when he lifted it, a small, plastic Colonel stared back at him. It looked quite like him, from the leather bomber jacket to the crush cap on top of it's head and the little eagles on the shirt collar. _What? _He thought, _Who would…?_ Then he remembered, the letter. He opened it quickly, scanning over the contents to the name signed at the bottom – Hans Schultz. "Schultz!" he said out loud, laughing, _of course Schultz, the owner of the largest toy company of Germany! _His eyes shot up, eager to read the letter written by the best friend an enemy ever had:

"_Colonel Hogan,_

_I hope you are happy at your home. I have been working very hard here at my factory, and I hope you enjoy the little present. I made them especially for my friends of Barracks Two of Stalag 13. I sent a set to all five of you. You all were my inspiration, and I think they are quite good, ya? Please, let me know what you think, I hope you like them!"_

Hogan looked back into the box, and was amazed to see the rest of his command looking up at him. He reached in his hand to pull them out. Le Beau came first, a chef's hat on his head and a miniature frying pan in one hand, filled with what looked to be strudel. Next came Kinch, holding tightly to a walkie-talkie. Carter followed with his bow and arrow. Newkirk was the last of his men, a deck of cards in one hand and a ace coming out of one sleeve. Hogan stood them up on his table, looking fondly at what was the closest knit group of men he'd ever know. How could five people, all so very different, ever have stuck together as they did? He knew the answer – they'd become a family. He looked into the box once again and surprisingly there were two figures left. The Iron Colonel of Stalag 13 came out, a monocle in his eye and a riding crop under his arm. Finally, a very round sergeant followed the rest. A chocolate bar filled one hand, and a piece of Le Beau's strudel in the other. He went to set the guard on the table with the rest when he noticed a pull string on the back. He yanked it, wondering what on earth the Schultz doll had to say.

_ "I know nothing!! Nothing!!" _said the miniature guard, in a voice Hogan had heard every day for the past three years. He began to chuckle as he set the last figure on the table, and as he looked at the mismatched group of men in front of him, he couldn't help but laugh out loud. And once he started laughing, he couldn't stop!

"Rob? What's so funny?"

He looked up at his mother, Nancy, who seemed shocked to see her lately very quiet son laughing uproariously for the first time since he'd walked in the door. At her shocked expression, he could only laugh harder. He tipped his chair back, still laughing, and managed to fall out of it.

"Rob? Are you quite alright?" she asked, standing over her giggling son.

Pointing to the table, he could only answer, "Look ma, I'm famous!!" while still laughing like a child with a cookie.

She looked at the little men on the table, noticing them for the first time. She picked up the little colonel, noticing how closely it resembled her son when he'd come home, dressed in his uniform. She looked at the rest of the crew, and couldn't help but join her son in his laughter. Still holding her miniature son, she had to sit down in one of the chairs to stop herself from joining Robert on the floor. They laughed together until they were both weak and sore, and she realized that she hadn't heard him laugh like that since before the war, when she would hear it at least once a day when one of his little plans would get him or someone else into trouble. She hoped this was a sign that whatever had been bothering him was getting better.

When she could talk again, she could only ask, "Where on earth did these come from? They're brilliant!"

"You know that guard at the prison camp I told you about, Schultz? Well he happens to own the largest toy company in all of Germany. He thought the boys and I would enjoy them – I guess he was right!"

"But, you said he was a German! What ... ?"

"He wasn't exactly what you would call a poster child for the Third Reich, he was more a neutral than a German," he answered, still chuckling on the floor. "Read me the rest of his letter, will you, please? I don't think I can get up right now." he said with a grin, "I only made it to the end of the first paragraph."

He settled his hands under his head, stretching out and listening as his mother read the letter to him. It went on to tell about all he'd been up to since the war ended. His wife and children were well, as was his toy factory ("obviously" Hogan said.). The weather was good, and so on and so forth. It rambled on some more, and he could just picture Schultz talking to him in the barracks, trying to avoid Kommandant Klink. Then, his mother read the next part of the letter,

_ "Oh, by the way and before I forget – although I don't know how she would let me – there is a very beautiful young lady staying here with us. Her name is Marie."_

Hogan sat up, listening closely to every word. His mother noticed his sudden attention and read on quickly,

_ "She wanted me to tell you that 'your tiger is still here waiting for you.' and that she will be here until your answer arrives. She is very well, and hopes that you will write soon."_

She finished the last paragraph of the letter, but Hogan didn't hear any of it. Tiger was alive and well, and staying with Schultz. How on earth did that happen? It didn't matter, though, she was alive, and she was waiting for him. That was good enough for him! He grabbed the letter from his mother, rereading the last part again, making sure he hadn't dreamed it. Nancy could only now begin to guess at what had been bothering her son. Apparently he had fallen in love.

"Rob?" she asked quietly. What was he thinking? What was going through his head? Then, she saw him smile. She knew that smile, he'd worn it every time he was thinking up a new plan that would get himself into trouble. "What are you planning now, Rob?"

He looked up at her, still smiling. It was clear now what he needed to do, "Mom, I'm going back to Germany."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I was going to leave it as a one shot, but you've convinced me to keep writing :) I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. The first one went really fast, this one took a little bit more prying. Hopefully the next couple will go a little quicker!As before, reviews and criticism of all forms are greatly appreciated!

--

Staring out the window of the plane – which was about to take off – Colonel Hogan unconsciously tightened his fists, picturing all the instruments and gauges that would be in front of him if her were the one flying. Being a passenger made him a little edgy. What would he do if something happened? He didn't want to just sit there while the plane went down! Mentally he kicked himself. _'What am I doing?! I've never been this nervous, not even on my first go as a pilot!' _

"Is this your first flight deary?" asked the little old lady in the seat next to him, noticing his tightly clenched fists, "You look nervous."

"No," he answered, puzzled, "I was a pilot during the war." Then he looked down at his white knuckles and chuckled, "It's my first flight as a passenger," he explained, "I like to be the one in charge."

She reached over and patted his hand. "Don't worry dear, I'm sure the pilot knows what he's doing," she smiled at him.

He smiled back, "I'm sure he does too."

The plane began to move down the runway, slowly gaining speed, the engine roaring. It moved faster and faster until Hogan felt the wheels pull up off the runway and suddenly, they were air born. _'You don't get the same rush as when you're the one flying it'_ he noticed.As he watched the land fall away, he thought back on the last time he'd seen Tiger, his men, and their last mission together.

It had been crazy to even attempt it. It should have been suicide. But it had been an order, and somehow, miraculously, they'd done it. They'd all made it out together. How they'd managed to pull it off was still a mystery to him.

--

The four men, Colonel Hogan, Newkirk, Carter and Le Beau all gathered around Kinch and his radio, waiting for orders from London. They'd been in the tunnels for a good hour, waiting for the communication to come through. The war was nearing an end, everyone could feel it. Klink, Schultz, and all the Germans were receiving bad news from Berlin everyday, while reports from London had brought the group information on the Allies' victories on all fronts. They were hoping for more good news. However, they seemed to be taking their own good time about it.

"Boy, they sure take a while don't they?" Carter asked. Colonel Hogan opened his mouth to reply, but before anyone could speak, the radio kicked on and Kinch signaled for silence as he concentrated on the code. The radio man took longer to decode the message than usual, ensuring that he'd gotten it correct. Then he asked London to repeat it. He checked it again, and handed it to Hogan. The Colonel quickly read over the communication, his eyebrows shooting upward. He glanced at Kinch who nodded, "I checked it three times, Colonel."

"Bad news, gov'ner?" Newkirk asked.

Hogan looked down at it again, shaking his head. "The Germans have one last plan to win this war," he said, "and we're going to stop them."

"_Que c'est_?" Le Beau asked.

Carter spoke up, "Yeah, um, what is it, Colonel?"

"They've set up a missile four miles from camp that's big enough to destroy London completely if they get it launched," Hogan answered, "And our mission just happens to be stopping it." He paused, reluctant to reveal the next part, "it also seems to be guarded by Anti-Aircraft guns that our flyers can't get near it. Our infantry is close, but not close enough to stop it before it fires. We're all they've got; that and the underground if they're willing to help." He looked at the shocked faces of his men. "Kinch," he said, "radio the underground, we're gonna need all the help we can get on this one."

"Right, Colonel," he replied, turning quickly back to his radio.

"Holy cow," Carter whispered, then louder, "How do they expect us to pull that off?"

"They're leaving that up to us," Hogan answered, "We haven't let them down so far, I guess they figure we can pull off one more before we all go home."

"_Incroyable!_" Le Beau shouted.

"Are they bloody daft? They're givin' us no help at all?" Newkirk asked angrily.

"We're on our own boys." Hogan answered them. He looked around him. He saw the faces filled with anger quickly drain and settle into resolve. They were entitled to protest - it seemed a totally reckless and suicidal mission. He knew that once they were done complaining though, they'd do what they needed to do and do it well.

"Underground's ready and willing to help, Colonel," Kinch said from the radio, "They'll meet us tonight at the usual place and let us know just how many men they'll have."

"Alright. I'll be the one going out to meet the underground tonight – alone," Hogan said, "This'll be the toughest job we've had, so I want to remind you all that this is strictly volunteer. Anyone who wants to can back out now."

The four men looked at each other. "Seein' as we'll be protecting my lovely ol' London, I can't really back out now, can I?" Newkirk replied.

Carter was the next to stand up, "You're sure gonna need me one of my bombs, and I wouldn't miss seeing a missile like that 'un blow! I'll design the best bomb you've ever seen boy…um sir, just you wait . . ."

"_Thanks_ Carter," Hogan stopped him in mid-rant.

"Um, yes sir."

"I don't get out much," Kinch stated, "What could be better than giving my legs a good stretch on the outside?"

"_Oui, mon Colonel_, it will be beautiful to see the _boches_ outsmarted again," Le Beau volunteered.

Hogan smiled at their statements, proud of all of them. "Alright, thanks men," he said, "Kinch, what time is it?"

"12:20 Colonel," he answered.

"I'll go get the underground man. We're all going to have to work on this thing, so you guys go and get some rest," Hogan ordered, "We'll figure out just how we're going to pull this off when I get back."


	3. Chapter 3

Hi all

_Hi all! Thanks to everyone who reviewed – I love when you do that! Sorry it took so long to update. In the couple weeks I've written two ten page and one four page paper, not to mention five finals with essays!! I'm now officially done with my freshman year of college!! Whoo hooo! So, now that I'm done for the summer, I'll try to write much quicker than I have been. Anyway, enough of my ramblings – on with the story! As always please, please, please review!_

A chill wind bit at him as he climbed out of the hollow tree stump, making him pull his black jacket tighter around him. The sky was clouded, blocking out the moon and enveloping him in darkness. It may have been April, but it seemed just as cold as the winter months before. He hurried into the trees, dodging the bright search light that cut through the blackness. When he was safely within the tall, bare trees, he set off at a quick pace towards the meeting place, watching always for any signs of a German patrol. The trip was unusually quiet, any sound carried on the bitter wind, but nothing seemed to be moving but him. He'd begun to relax when he was within a quarter of a mile of the assigned spot. Suddenly, a twig snapped, and the wind brought him the sound of muffled German voices coming from a short distance away. Hogan stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes darted back and forth frantically, searching for a place to hide as the voices grew louder. He spotted a fallen tree, a slight hollow beneath its trunk. He quickly threw himself under it. The rough bark dug into his back as he squeezed beneath it, but he just fit. He silently thanked who ever was listening that he'd worn his black clothes and face paint tonight instead of his uniform.

He waited beneath the tree, barely daring to breath. Slight movements of the underbrush showed the advancement of the patrol moving slowly by. Suddenly, the movement stopped, and Hogan stopped breathing all together. _'Please,'_ he prayed, _'I'm so close! Don't let it end here!' _

A match flared, and his nostrils caught the smell of burning tobacco. The voices came again, this time he could make out what they were saying. They were complaining! The weather was too cold, it was too dark to see anyone anyway, their commander always sent them to do the dirty work and so on. _'Thank you!'_ Hogan thought, grateful beyond belief for his luck. They obviously hadn't seen him or the underground agent who was to meet him. The Germans smoked and complained for nearly ten minutes, Hogan getting colder all the time as he pressed himself against the freezing, wet ground. The cold and dampness from the ground seeped into his bones, and he had to concentrate on keeping his teeth from chattering. He focused on translating every complaint and insult thrown at their commanding officer, trying to keep his mind occupied by anything besides how cold he was. Finally, he heard them begin to leave. He lay beneath the fallen tree until the voices and noises faded away and he was sure the threat was gone. He slowly climbed out from his hiding place, stiffly dragging himself to his feet. Taking one last look around, he slowly made his way to the designated spot.

He arrived at the tiny clearing, and there she was. Tiger. She recognized him at the same moment, and suddenly, she was in his arms, her lips pressed firmly against his own. The thousands of questions racing through his mind suddenly disappeared, and all he could think of was how right it felt to have her back in his arms. They pulled apart slightly, both afraid the other would disappear if they let go.

She laid her head against his shoulder whispering, "I've missed you, Robert."

"I've missed you too," he replied, thinking that that was the biggest understatement of his life, "but what are you doing here? I thought you'd gone back to France."

She hesitated slightly, "After France was freed I came back to help. I can do more to end the war from here."

He noticed the hesitation and knew she was holding something back, but he didn't press it. If she wanted him to know, she'd tell him. He instead turned to worrying. "Do you know what this mission is?" he asked, "It's going to be more dangerous than any we've worked on before."

"I know, Robert, but I must do what I can."

He shook his head at her stubbornness. "Come on," he said, reluctantly letting her go, "we should get back to camp before another patrol stumbles this way."

He grinned then, and feeling like a teenager in love, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the clearing into the trees. She smiled as she looked down at her hand in his, feeling quite like a teenager herself.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"_Le Colonel_ should have been back by now."

Le Beau looked around the radio room, seeing the anxious looks on the faces of his three friends around him. They had been silently waiting in the dark tunnel until Le Beau spoke. Now, their fears had been stated out loud, and it made them all even more nervous. How Hogan had expected them to get any rest no one could understand, they had too much worrying them for that.

"Don't worry, Le Beau," Kinch said, trying to reassure himself as much as the little Frenchman, "The Colonel can take care of himself."

"Yeah," Carter replied, feeling a little better, "I'm sure he's on his way back right now. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped into the tunnel right now . . ."

Just then, the sounds of the tree trunk shutting and two people making their way down the ladder could be heard. The men looked at each other in relief and surprise.

"Blimey, Andrew," Newkirk said, giving the young man a playful shove, "Why didn't you speak up sooner? You could 'ave saved us a bit of worrying!"

Hogan came into view then, still smiling, "Look who decided to come and visit!" he said as the beautiful resistance member into view.

A chorus of "Tiger!!" rose from the group, along with the individual greetings yelled to her.

"Bonjour mon amie!"

"'Ello love!"

"Hi Tiger!"

"Hello ma'am!"

She smiled at their warm greetings, "Bonjour! It is so nice to see you all again!"

Le Beau ran forward, bowing like a gentleman and kissing her hand as he greeted her. Newkirk followed quickly, trying to shove Le Beau out of the way as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders good-naturedly and said, "When are you gonna loose the gov'ner and realize who you really love?"

"_Oui_, me," Le Beau answered quickly, pushing Newkirk out of the way.

Carter and Kinch stood off to the side, watching the hilarious antics of the two would be lovers. Tiger could only laugh at their flirtations. It wasn't often that she was greeted with so much enthusiasm.

Hogan broke up the entertaining antics saying, "Alright, come on, let's get down to business," as he realized, to his surprise, that he was slightly jealous. He pulled out a map, and the men gathered around as Tiger began describing the defenses and the area around the missile they were to destroy.

"General Schneider is commanding the hundred and fifty men guarding it, along with nine anti-aircraft guns, all eighty-eights. They're placed here and here," she pointed to the map, "and they protect it from any attack from the air." Murmurs of disbelieve arose from the men as they realized just how much London was asking of them.

"How much help can the underground give us?" Hogan asked, anxious to know exactly what he had to work with.

"All told, we have eleven men altogether and we're all willing to help," she answered.

The Colonel leaned over the map as he spoke his thoughts out loud, "Sixteen men against a general, a hundred and fifty men, and nine ack-ack guns." He noticed something on the map then that caught his attention, "There's an ammo dump a half mile from the missile we've been meaning to get to," he said, "and these rail road tracks here, do you know when this train runs?" he asked Tiger, pointing to the tracks a forth a mile from their target.

"_Oui_, I thought you might want to know," she replied, "For next three days it will run directly past that area at one in the morning."

Hogan nodded, still staring at the map, a plan finally forming in his head. His men noticed the slight smile on their Colonel's face and knew he had an idea.

"What's the plan, Colonel?" Carter asked.

Hogan wrapped his arm amiably around the young sergeant's shoulders, saying, "Carter my boy, it's simple, we'll just get rid of three targets at once!"

The men looked at each other and simultaneously wondered if the stress of command had finally gotten to him.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi again! Sorry it took so long! Here's the next chapter, and I hope you like it. I want to have another one up really soon. Please, let me know what you think!_

"Out a curiosity gov'ner, just 'ow exactly do you figure on gettin' rid ah three different targets when ten seconds ago there wasn't a way to get rid ah one?" Newkirk asked, voicing everyone's question. The men, and Tiger, looked at him expectantly.

"You see, Newkirk, with that order old scramble brain Hitler gave a couple days ago, that General can't retreat without the threat of being shot by his own people, so, we need to distract him - a lot," Hogan answered, "If we can get his attention away from the main objective by destroying the other two that are nearby, we might just have a chance to sneak in and destroy that rocket."

"What do we need to do, Colonel?" Kinch asked, ready to get started preparing.

"Carter," Hogan said, turning to the sergeant, "We're gonna need a bomb, a big one, something with a short time fuse that's going to be strong enough to blow up this thing. Tiger," he addressed next, not leaving Carter enough time to get his enthusiastic speech started, "I need you to give Carter all the information you have about the rocket so he'll know what'll be best. When you've got that figured out, report to me, I need to know just how this site is set up."

"Oui Colonel," She replied, smiling at him.

"Good," He answered, smiling back, happy to have some semblance of a plan, "Newkirk, I'll need uniforms for Carter and I, infantry enlisted men for a change."

"Yes sir, gov'ner," Newkirk answered, deciding not to question just yet - he'd wait until he'd heard the plan to criticize.

Hogan looked at the faces around him; all trusting him to get them through this, and his smile wavered. He felt a great reluctance to complete this mission. _What if I let them down? What if one of them gets hurt?_ he thought, he glanced at Tiger, _what if I loose them?_ He shook off his self-doubt; he was going to need all the confidence he had to get them all out of this alive.

He renewed his smile as he resolved himself to the task ahead, _I'll do everything I can, I can't do more than that, _he thought. "Now," he said out loud, "here's what we're going to do. Tiger, how much help will you need to destroy the ammo dump?"

"Four men with me should be more than enough, Colonel," she stated.

"Good. With this plan the less men in the woods the better. That'll make four less in the field," he said, "Do you have enough explosives or do you need Carter to outfit you?"

"We have more than enough for the ammo dump, Colonel," she answered. He nodded.

"Kinch, Newkirk, Le Beau," the Colonel continued.

"Yes, sir," they answered together, ready for instructions.

"You and the three others will take out the train when it passes right here," he said as he pointed to the map, "hopefully in the confusion of the explosions Carter and I can sneak in and plant the explosive on the rocket. We'll only have a short time to get out of there, so we're gonna have to move fast.

"This all depends on timing. If we don't get it just right . . ." he left that thought unfinished as he went on, "Tiger, when your group sees the train coming here, you'll blow the ammo. When the train reaches this point, you fellas'll get rid of it," he pointed out the spots on the map as he looked to the people in front of him, "Hopefully, there'll be enough confusion that Carter and I can sneak in dressed in uniform and plant the bomb before anyone notices. Then, we high tail it out of there. You three," he said, looking at Kinch, Newkirk and Le Beau, "will head straight back to camp when that train goes up."

They all opened their mouths to protest, but the Colonel cut them off, "It'll be safer for everyone if there's less people in the woods. We don't know how big this explosion is going to be, and we all need to be as far away as possible. It'll also give those hundred and fifty soldiers less people to find," he looked at them sternly, "You're going right back to camp, and that's an order. Understand?"

Kinch and Le Beau hesitated, looking down, but answered, "Yes sir."

"Newkirk, I said that was an order." Hogan said again, his voice warning the Englishman that there was no room for argument.

Newkirk sighed, but answered, "Yes sir."

"Good," Hogan said, relaxing, "That goes for you too Tiger, I can't order you officially, but I want you and your men out of there as soon as that ammo goes," he waited until she nodded reluctantly, "Carter and I will get out as soon as we can. If it all goes right, we should be right behind you fellas.

"That's the plan," he said, wrapping up the meeting as he looked at his watch, "it's only a few hours to roll call, and it's gonna be a long night tomorrow, you guys go get some rest, we'll get everything ready after that. Tiger," the Colonel turned to the beautiful woman in front of him, "would you care for an escort back to town?"

"But of course Colonel," she smiled slyly, wrapping her arm around Newkirk and winking at him, "if you're sure the corporal won't mind the walk."

Newkirk was more than happy to tease his commanding officer. He pulled her closer, saying, "It's such a lovely night, gov'ner, you wouldn't mind if we stepped out for a tick would you?"

The rest of the men were hard pressed not to laugh at the look on Hogan's face. His mouth, which had dropped open at Tiger's remark, snapped shut when he realized they were kidding, his shock quickly replaced by a need for retaliation. Using his most intimidating glare, the Colonel quickly grabbed Newkirk roughly by the collar and marched him to the ladder. "Up corporal!!" he yelled, pointing viciously to the ceiling, "Now!"

"Alright, alright!" Newkirk murmured back, "You can't blame a man for trying!"

At the Englishman's last statement, Carter, Kinch and Le Beau were unable to hold back their laughter any longer. They were practically rolling on the floor as Newkirk made his way very quickly up the ladder when Hogan yelled and pointed again. Then, Hogan turned his stare on them. Carter visibly gulped, Le Beau tried to sink back against the wall, and Kinch very slowly inched his way towards the ladder to escape.

"You too!" Hogan ordered, turning to the three others, "Upstairs right now!" then he added a little less gruffly, "And try to get some sleep while you're at it."

When he had shooed them all upstairs, he turned back to Tiger, who was smiling widely at the false anger on Hogan's face. "Was that really necessary?" he asked her, hearing his men's laughter echoing from the barracks above.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Well, perhaps not, but your men needed a laugh. Who knows what will happen tomorrow night."

He realized what she said was true, they'd all needed something to ease the tension, and Tiger's little show (and his own) had managed to take their minds off the task ahead for a short while. "Oh," he huffed, "Well, the laugh may have done them good - but did you have to pick Newkirk?"

She chuckled as she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled her close and she gave him a quick kiss.

"Really," she said, "would it have been as funny if I'd picked, say, Carter?"

A picture of a stuttering, bewildered Carter came to Hogan's mind and he grinned, "For me maybe."

She slapped him playfully, gave him another kiss, and then pulled reluctantly back out of his arms. "I should go," she sighed.

"Well then," he replied, "let's get you back home, shall we?"

"I can make it by myself," she said, "You need your rest, go back upstairs and get some sleep."

"And leave you all alone out in the cold?" he answered, "Not a chance. I can sleep later. Right now, I'm going to accompany you back to Hammelburg, and there's no use in arguing, I'm coming!"

She considered disagreeing, but knew he wasn't about to change his mind, and really, she wanted to spend all the time she could with him. "Will you be back in time for roll call?" she asked instead.

"Sure I will," he said, "won't be any trouble at all."

She gave him a look, not really believing him at all. "What?" he asked, "Really, I've got plenty of time."

"Oh, alright," Tiger resigned, torn between worry for him and the simple happiness from being with him. She decided to concentrate on the happy.

"Okay," the Colonel answered, "Let's go!"

They stole quietly out of the tunnel and into the woods, making their way towards the small town. Both trying very hard to forget they might never see each other again.

Note: On April 16, 1945, Hitler ordered the execution of any officer who ordered a retreat.


	5. Chapter 5

_Ok, I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! My best friend decided that July was a great time to get married, so I spent the last 2 months doing my duty as a maid of honor in planning her wedding with her. A special thanks to Sunstorm89 for private messaging me and making me get my butt in gear! So, the moment you've been waiting for, on with the story!!_

The door to the barracks slammed open as sergeant Hans Schultz barreled in, yelling, "Raus!! Raus! Everybody up! Roll call!" The portly guard reached up and pounded on Newkirk's bunk, bellowing again, "Everybody up, up, up! Roll call! Raus, raus, schnell!"

Moans from the prisoners were the only replies the sergeant got, along with Newkirk's "Leave off Schultz!" and Le Beau's, "Just ten more minutes Schultzie!"

"Yeah," Carter grumbled, "Have a heart!"

In the midst of the complaining, Colonel Hogan appeared out of his office, shrugging into his leather jacket and quickly defending his men's complaints. "Now Schultz," he said, "We deserve the extra sleep; today's a big holiday for us flyers!"

"Oh yeah," the sergeant asked, "and what holiday is that?"

"The death of the Red Baron," the Colonel quipped without missing a beat. The men laughed loudly at Schultz's muttered, "Jolly joker," and reluctantly pulled themselves out of their not so comfortable bunks into the cold air outside.

The sun was just beginning to rise as the men from barracks two slowly got into formation. Hogan looked down the two lines at the men in his command, and knew that before long, they'd all be going home. Germany was losing, and it was only a matter of time until the camp was liberated. The men all knew how the war was going and they were in high spirits, joking among themselves and thoroughly annoying the Germans guarding them. For the last few weeks the counts had been especially short and lenient. Colonel Klink hadn't made a speech about "German Superiority" in weeks.

Schultz quickly made his count as the Kommandant descended the stairs from his office. His normal bellow was replaced by a placid, "Report, Schultz."

Over the din of the prisoners, Schultz struggled to be heard as he answered, "All present and accounted for Herr Kommandant!"

Klink didn't respond to Schultz' salute, merely flicked his hand, saying simply, "Dismissed," as he made his way back to his office.

Hogan stared after the retreating Colonel. _I almost feel sorry for him, _he thought, _he's been on the bad end of not one, but two wars now._ The prisoners, still carrying on their conversations, walked away before the sergeant even had a chance to dismiss them. Hogan remained in the yard, his gaze still resting on the closed door Klink had disappeared. He thought of the tunnels, the men they'd saved, all the good they'd done, and knew that without the "Iron Colonel" of Stalag, none of it would have been possible. _I'll do what I can for him,_ Hogan mused, _he deserves that much_. His thoughts were interrupted as Kinch, Newkirk, Le Beau and Carter circled closely around him.

"Our beloved Kommandant seems a little depressed today," Hogan said with a smile, shaking off his somber mood, "I think I'll pay him a visit."  
"Yeah, a visit with you always cheers him up," Kinch joked.

Hogan chuckled as he walked away from the group, throwing a comment over his shoulder, "Who wouldn't want to spend time with me?"

The men laughed as he strolled into the Kommandant's office, knowing just how much the German officer didn't want to be with the American colonel.

Klink jumped as the door to his office slammed shut, groaning inwardly as he realized that the only person who entered his office so informally was the one man he absolutely did not want to see. He looked up slowly from his paper work, hoping against hope that the face that greeted him would not be the arrogant senior POW officer.

Hogan grinned widely at the crestfallen look on the Kommandant's face, "Expecting someone else Colonel? You look disappointed."

"Go away, Hogan," Klink answered, "Don't you have anything better to do than torment me?"

"Torment you? I'm hear to see if there's anything I can do to help!" Hogan said lightheartedly, grabbing for a cigar from the humidor.

Klink slammed the lid, but not before the light fingered Colonel had snatched one. "You could help me, Colonel, by going away and leaving me alone."

"That hurts, Kommandant!" Hogan replied, a look of disappointment covering his face, "If you keep up that attitude I might just start to think you don't like me!"

Klink simply stared at him, weariness evident in his very tired face, "Is there any special reason you're here or do you just enjoy seeing me suffer?"

"Actually, Colonel, I'm here to request an extra hour of light for the men."

"And just why should you have an extra hour of light? Another crazy holiday you've made up?" Klink asked, greatly irritated.

"No," Hogan answered, smiling again, "I just knew that your good heartedness and compassion would compel you to give the poor men under your command one small piece of comfort before they all go home."

Klink winced at the mention of the camp being liberated; knowing from experience what surrender was like. He glared Hogan, who quickly pasted a sorrowful look on his face and said, "Sorry sir, bad taste."

"Colonel, for your impertinence, the camp will have lights out one hour early," the Kommandant replied, making himself feel a little bit better, "and that's final."

Hogan faked a groan, saying, "Sir, I must protest, it's against the Geneva . . . "

"You are dismissed, Hogan!" Klink yelled, waving to the door.

The American walked out quickly, making sure to complain the whole way. The door slammed shut behind him and he smiled, he'd just gotten them an extra uninterrupted hour to work.

--

"Everything set for tonight?" Hogan asked the group of men gathered around the small desk in his room.

"Yes sir," Kinch said, "we've got everything in order."

"I've got you and Carter's uniforms in the tunnel, gov'ner," Newkirk verified

"And the explosives for the train are down in the emergency tunnel," Le Beau finished.

"Good," the Colonel said, "Carter, what have you got for us?"

The young demolitions expert was more than happy to show his newest invention, and he nearly fell over himself grabbing out the pack with his explosives.

"That's it?" Hogan asked, looking at the innocent back pack before him.

"Um…yes sir. You see sir, it looks just like a German's full pack – I modeled it off the one they make Schultz lug around when he's in trouble – and right here," he pointed to what looked to be a button, "is the timer. You just twist it, one time around for each minute."

Hogan had to complement the sergeant on his remarkable work, "Carter, its great!"

"Thanks, sir!" Carter grinned, "And just you wait, it's gonna be one heck of a boom when that thing goes off!"

"Good, Carter," Hogan said, "Now, all we have to do is wait for lights out, then we move."

A door slammed out in the barracks and the group could hear Schultz's bellow of, "Lights out, everybody!"

The men smiled at the ironic timing. "Speak of the devil," Kinch said.

Colonel Hogan jumped up from his chair and made his way towards the door, "Can't leave old Schultz waiting now can we?"

The men followed the Colonel out into the main room. Schultz spotted them and pleaded to Hogan over the loud complaints of the other prisoners, "Please Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant said all lights are to be out one hour earlier tonight!"

"I know Schultz, now, you just go back to your post and I'll make sure the lights are out just as soon as you leave."

The guard looked skeptical, but decided not to argue. "Alright," he said, his hands reaching for his misplaced rifle, "You promise they will be out?"

"Yes, Schultz, I promise," the Colonel answered.

The sergeant started towards the door, turning around when he realized he still hadn't found his rifle. "Ah, Colonel Hogan, did you happen to see my . . ." He stopped as Le Beau handed him the weapon, "Thank you, cockroach," he said, nodding his head to the small Frenchman, then he turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

There was a flurry of activity as the men got their gear together. Kinch opened the tunnel entrance, and they filed down, Colonel Hogan turning the lights off behind them.

In the tunnel the activity didn't cease. Hogan and Carter quickly changed into their uniforms while Kinch, Le Beau and Newkirk got in their usual black sabotage attire. They gathered at the bottom of the emergency tunnel ladder, all ready to begin their final mission.

Hogan looked at the men around him, none of them doubting the plan he had come up with. They were all ready to give their lives, if necessary, to destroy the threat to London. _If anyone can pull this off_, he thought, _it'll be them. _

"Men," the Colonel said, needing to tell them just how he felt, "It's been an honor to serve with you. I couldn't have asked for a better crew. And I want you to know, that no matter how tonight turns out, that I couldn't be more proud of all of you, and all that we've accomplished."

He reached out to shake their hands, but Newkirk interrupted him, "Sir, you know I don't care much for officers," the corporal chuckled at the knowing smile on Hogan's face, then went on, "Well, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we never could have done what we did if it hadn't been for you. So, I know you don't get many of these, but, here goes." Altogether, the men snapped to attention and smartly saluted their commanding officer.

Hogan had to blink back the moisture in his eyes as he returned their salute. "Thanks, men," he said, and they all knew just how much was in those words. Then, to break the tension, he smiled as he said, "Now, I believe we have a rocket to blow up."

_Now I know it's been forever, but I promise I'll have another chapter up by next Sunday. If it isn't up by then, please, feel free to private message me like crazy until I put it up! _

Note: Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron," was shot down on April 21, 1918. He was the most famous flying ace of WWI.


	6. Chapter 6

_I will finish this story if it's the last thing I do._

The night was cold and dark as the five men exited the tunnel, Hogan taking the lead as soon as they were clear of the search lights. They walked quickly and quietly, their senses on high alert for anything, noise or movement, that may be out of the ordinary. Carter followed closely behind the Colonel, both dresses in their German uniforms. Newkirk, Le Beau and Kinch followed, their dark clothes and face paint making them look more like shadows then men. They were fighting their way through a patch of thick underbrush, when a sudden rustle of leaves came from their left, and Hogan stopped dead. Carter, who'd been paying more attention to not making noise than to the Colonel ahead, walked right into Hogan's back, nearly knocking him over. Hogan's attention quickly snapped to the left, while Newkirk neatly caught the falling sergeant before he could land on his knapsack full of explosives. A deer jumped out of the brush, both scaring and relieving everyone. Carter smiled sheepishly up at Newkirk who rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically as he righted him.

"Blimey, Carter," the Englishman said, "can you try not blowing us all up?!"  
"Um, I'll try," he answered, gaining a grin from Newkirk and everyone else.

"Come on," Hogan whispered, wanting to be off. He gave a quick wave of his hand, and said, "Let's get this over with."

They started off again, Carter leaving extra room between himself and his commanding officer in front, just in case. The first leg of their journey passed in silence and without mishap. They pushed through the last of the underbrush, entering a small clearing. It marked the departure of Newkirk, Kinch and Le Beau. There was nothing to be added to the goodbyes in the tunnel, so with a few silent handshakes, the three disappeared into the black forest.

Hogan and Carter paused, looking at the spot where the men had disappeared. _This is it,_ Hogan thought, then glancing upward added, _please, look after them._ He turned and Carter mirrored his movements, both ready for the task ahead. They walked in silence, avoiding any noise that would draw attention to them. Within a few minutes, they could hear the first signs of life from the camp ahead of them. Complaints of two picket guards were the first things to meet their ears, and Hogan quickly motioned for Carter to follow him closely. They maneuvered around the pair of very loud Germans, jumping from shadow to shadow, and managed to slip past them easily. Hogan breathed a small sigh of relief as they passed the first obstacle. He looked back at Carter, who smiled and gave a thumbs up sign, enjoying the first small victory of the night. Hogan smiled back, amazed at how the boy could stay enthusiastic no matter the circumstance.

They caught their first glimpse of the rocket as they neared the main camp, a giant, menacing thing that looked almost alive in the flickering lights of the small fires that dotted the opening. It looked as if nearly all of the hundred and fifty men were in the small pup tents that filled the clearing or were huddled around the burn barrels that offered a small amount of warmth on the cold night. Six guards were stationed around the base of the rocket itself. A large wall tent on the opposite side of the make-shift camp marked General Schneider's headquarters.

Hogan grabbed Carter's attention, pulling him down behind a large, fallen tree that would block them from the view of any German who might be looking at the woods a little too closely. His heart was beating rapidly. They were trapped between pickets and an entire camp of Germans, and were about to destroy the last hope of the German war effort. He'd never really gotten use to the terror that always assaulted him whenever their lives were in danger, but he'd become a master at hiding it.

Carter carefully removed his pack, sitting it gently beside him on the ground while Hogan caught a glimpse of his watch; they had about fifteen minutes until the train was due. Hopefully it would be there on time, and Newkirk, Le Beau and Kinch would have the charges in place. _They'll be ready, _Hogan mused,_ they haven't let me down yet. _His thoughts turned to Tiger, and he prayed she'd be safe. Her group began the explosions, and they needed to be ready before the train passed them. Every aspect of the plan ran through his mind, and he imagined every possible outcome of the night. There were a lot more things that could go wrong than right, but that was the same with every mission they accomplished. _It'll work, _he reassured camp behind them remained quiet, and there was no sign of the pickets a short distance ahead of them. He glanced at his watch again – only a few minutes left.

A sudden explosion ripped through the air, and everything happened at once. The red of the burning ammo dump filled the sky, and Hogan allowed himself a brief moment of triumph at the sight and sound of the destruction. Quickly he and Carter stood, the sergeant grabbing the pack and swinging it onto his back. The camp came alive in a mess of chaos and confusion. Men half in and half out of uniform scrambled out of their small tents, desperately trying to figure out what had awoken them. General Schneider fell out of his tent, the thin, graying man jumping on one leg as he attempted to pull on a knee high boot and locate the source of the noise at the same time. Officers were just beginning to yell at the other soldiers when the sound of the second, deafening blast filled the camp, this one even closer than the last. The General screamed orders to his officers, but his voice was lost in the pandemonium. The soldiers milled about, still barely awake and horribly confused. The scene was one of complete disarray.

Colonel Hogan and Carter plunged into the thick of it, elbowing their way through the mass of confused bodies, adding a shout of their own to increase the turmoil. The rocket was forgotten as the officers screamed and threatened and the enlisted men simply tried to figure out what was going on. Most of the tents were knocked over; a few of the burn barrels fell, hot ashes littering the ground. The darkness deepened as the fires went out, and men fumbled around, unable to see well enough to distinguish one another. Hogan led the way through the horde, ducking and weaving unnoticed through the ranks. Carter moved just as quickly and cautiously as Hogan, somehow managing not to trip and fall.

The base of the rocket was left unprotected. Carter shrugged out of his pack and quickly twisted the timer, giving them a little less than five minutes to get away. He passed it to Hogan, who placed it neatly beneath the missile, hiding it from view. No one noticed the two as they knelt there. The Colonel stood, grabbing Carter by the shoulder and pulling him back through the mass of men. The skyline turned red as the woods caught fire from the earlier blasts. Terror was still evident in the camp as they pushed their way through. The Germans were milling by the tree line, making it easy for the two to slip unnoticed out of the camp and into the safety of the forest.

The two ran for their lives. As they passed the deserted tree where the picket had been, Hogan felt like laughing. He turned and grinned at Carter, who returned the smile with a huge one of his own.

Suddenly, a German patrol appeared in front of the pair, and they ran straight into them. Both sides were confused in the eerie red glow of the forest, and in a moment of genius, Carter, remembering they were in uniform, yelled in his best German, "Sie sind da drüben!" _'They're over there!'_ He pointed hurriedly to the left, away from both sabotage sites and made to run in that direction, the five privates of the patrol quickly followed his lead, taking off after the invisible saboteurs. Hogan and Carter fell back, leaving the patrol to chase ghosts, and turned to run in the opposite direction.

Making sure to stay clear of the patrol, they took a small detour, bringing them close to the burning ammo dump. It was as he examined damage caused by the explosion that he saw her. Of course, Tiger never would listen to his order to leave once the job was done. Two of her men had stayed with her, and she ran to her dark haired Colonel the moment she spotted him.

Hogan pulled her to him, hungrily capturing her lips with his as the forest burned around them. He was reminded bitterly of their first parting, although it was Carter and not the Frenchman who pulled at his arm, urging him away from the woman he loved. For just a split second, he forgot everything around him but her; he could imagine that their world wasn't falling to pieces and that she could stay wrapped in his arms forever. He couldn't hold her tight enough, though, and they were ripped apart by so much more than just the men around them. _'After' _was the only word she whispered to him before they parted, and he echoed her. They both knew how much the other loved them – the promise to meet again was much more powerful than words of undying love. Robert's eyes followed her as she was rushed away from him. She was needed elsewhere for now. She turned before she was out of sight, and their eyes met for a final time before she disappeared forever.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi everyone and Happy New Year! One more chapter and it'll be done! _

The plane shuddered as it hit turbulence, jolting Hogan back to reality. He blinked, the images of his last moments with Marie still clouding his vision. He glanced out the window, trying to push the unpleasant memories from his mind and focused on watching the sunrise over the Swiss Alps. His first real sight of the mountain range nearly took his breath away. He'd hiked in the rounded hills of the Blue Ridge mountains near his home as a boy, he had seen the Rockies when he'd visited Carter, but even those seemingly giant mountains could never compare to the majestic sight before him. The sun was just peaking out behind their craggy peaks, tinting the snowcaps a dusky pink and giving off enough light for him to really appreciate their beauty. They seemed to defy gravity, the sharp summits looking like teeth trying to devour some unseen foe. They were both stunning and frightening, and they made him feel very small.

The plane had almost landed when the little old lady next to him awoke and sleepily followed his gaze to the outside. "They're just lovely, aren't they?" she asked, wonder coloring her voice.

Hogan jumped a little at her sudden speech, then smiled gently as he peered back out at the mountains. "Yes, they are," he replied, "I've never seen them before."

"Neither have I," she said, "but my little grandson has been living here for the last year. I've come to take him home." She paused, looking at the tired young man beside her, and added, "What are you looking for, deary?"

Hogan glanced out the window again, then turned his gaze back to the lady, "What am I looking for?" he answered as the plane touched down, "I'm looking for the woman I love."

As the people around them began to stand, the woman reached over and gently took his hand, "Good luck," she said, "I hope you find her."

"You too," he replied, helping her to her feet, "your grandson's lucky to have such a lovely woman as yourself for a grandmother."

She chuckled lightly at his feigned flirting. He quickly grabbed her bag for her as they made their way down the isle of the plane, making for the exit. Playing the perfect gentleman, he steadied her on her descent of the stairs to the runway. She smiled again, giving him a small curtsey, "Why thank you, my good man, it has been a pleasure flying with you."

He nodded back, touching his hat in respect as he started away. He was called back by her sudden speech, "Sir? I never did get your name."

Smiling, he held out his right hand to her, "Colonel Robert Hogan, ma'am, United States Air Corps, and I'm on my way to Germany of my own free will."

She shook his hand and laughed as she introduced herself, "It's a pleasure to meet you Robert. I'm Helen Smerker, and I'mon my way to Austria. May you have good luck in your search for love."

"And you as well," he replied.

He grabbed his bag and quickly headed towards the main building on the air strip, turning once to wave goodbye to Helen.

Inside the building was busy, though the war in Europe had been officially over for six months, there were still many soldiers in uniform to be seen, meandering around the airport. He pushed his way through the small, crowded room, making his way to the main desk. A young, disinterested man sat behind it, chin resting in his palm and sighing. He looked up as Hogan approached. His arm dropped to the desk and sat up a little straighter as he was addressed, but gained no enthusiasm as he asked dispassionately, "Can I help you, sir?"

"I hope so," Hogan replied, "Where's the nearest train station?"

The young man heaved a great sigh and pointed weakly towards the left side of the building, reminding Hogan of a scarecrow in a movie he'd seen before the war, "In town, about a ten minute walk that way."

Hogan glanced in the direction, rapped the desk and said, "Thanks," he turned to leave, then added dryly, "I admire your enthusiasm."

Bag in hand, the Colonel walked out into the surprisingly warm air. He could see the town from the road, and in the October sun, the walk was really quite pleasant. The old buildings with their elaborately painted walls lined the road as he descended towards his destination, each beautiful and unique in its own way. Their houses here told stories in pictures and colors; some told of family history, others of myths, and still others of biblical tales. They created an almost fairy tale setting that, until a jeep blew past him, made him feel as if he had truly stepped back in time.

The train station was easy to find, as most traffic seemed to be headed in that direction. Even train stations here were majestic structures. Stone and glass created an image that looked more like a castle than train station. He quickly entered and found the ticket window, in a hurry now that he was so close to the end of his journey – one train ride and he would be in Hammelburg. The old man at the ticket window only a little more alert than the young one at the air field.  
"I need a ticket to Hammelburg," Hogan said, speaking over the roar of a train entering the station and the people standing around.

"Hammelburg?" the man said, but spoke again before Hogan could confirm or deny, "next train there leaves in half an hour."

"I'll take it," Hogan answered, a little louder this time and handing over his money.

The man quickly took it, slid the ticket to the Colonel under the barred window, and pointed to an empty bench where he could wait.

Bag between his feet on the ground, Hogan waited out the half hour without incident.

–––––––

The train lost only a few passengers as it stopped, but as Hogan discovered, the train was practically empty. He quickly sat down in a seat, gazing out the window and letting his mind wander again. . .

After the liberation of Stalag 13, Hogan and his crew had spent the remaining days of the war in London. They'd cut loose after their successful but near suicide mission, finally getting to enjoy being alive. Newkirk had taken them out on the town, showing them around his home town and relishing in the fact that he was finally home.

Mavis Newkirk had welcomed them into her home while they were being detained by headquarters. They all had too much information for headquarters to even think about sending any of them to the Pacific, so they'd been held until Hitler had been found dead and the Allies officially held Berlin. V-E day was a day of spectacular celebration in London and the former prisoners of Stalag 13 were in the middle of it, knowing that they had played a small part in stopping the mad man who sat at the head of the Third Reich.

The five men finally parted ways about two weeks after V-E day. Among great pomp and circumstance, the group was awarded, acknowledged and decorated for their dedication and service to the Allied Cause. Medals and citations were handed out, along with a small party being thrown in their honor.

After all the celebrations were over, they'd all finally been able to go home. It had been a bitter sweet parting. They'd fought so long for the chance to finally return home, but the thought of splitting up made leaving hard. They'd left after the awards, spending one quiet night together in the small corner of a pub, saying their goodbyes and promises to keep in touch. . .

As the train pulled into Hammelburg Station, Hogan quickly stood and stepped out onto the platform, ready to finally find his Tiger.


End file.
